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Columbus hailed as good corporate citizen

Published:Friday | May 9, 2014 | 12:00 AM
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From left: Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Glendon Harris, poses with Flow's director of communications, Gail Abrahams, and Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Anthony Hylton.
Singer's Montego Bay manager, Jacqueline Vassell, and Flow's director of communications, Gail Abrahams, in an animated conversation during the opening of the new 'Engagement Centre' powered by Flow for staff of the Montego Bay Free Zone.
From left: Montego Bay businessman Mark Kerr-Jarrett engages in conversation with Scotiabank's Stephen Dear and Flow's David Fazio.
Scotiabank's Stephen Dear (left) converses with Flow's Rowan Wade. - Contributed Photos
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 Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Anthony Hylton says he is moved by the changing spirit of members of the business sector who are now increasingly taking corporate social responsibilities seriously.

Minister Hylton expressed that businesses are not only gauging their success by profit margins, but are engaging more in and funding community activities and projects.

"I have observed a qualitative change in the business environment here in Jamaica. It is a growing recognition on the part of our businesses that the bottom line, the profitability, is not the only measure of the success of the business. They are engaging more," Hylton said before going on to hail Columbus Communications for what he called "... a quality move, by a quality organisation, for quality people ..."

He was speaking last Friday at the launch of the Montego Bay Free Zone Engagement Centre, which has been funded by telecoms provider Columbus Communications, operators of the Flow and Columbus Business Solutions brands. The facility will benefit more than 7,200 workers in the Free Zone.

The centre, into which the telecoms giant invested $2.3 million, was officially opened by the minister, his junior minister, Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams, Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Glendon Harris and Free Zone employees.

It allows the workers to enjoy the 100 megabits per second of high speed Internet via Flow Unplugged Wifi on their personal laptops, iPADs and other portable devices, said Columbus' director of communications, Gail Abrahams, pointing out that they could do this while staying connected to the latest happenings within the 44,000 square foot Free Zone via information updates facilitated by Flow's digital signage solution.

According to Abrahams, the Free Zone employees will have access to more than 60 cable news and entertainment channels in a relaxed atmosphere.

The Columbus communications director described the investment as critical to the staff who form part of Jamaica's value proposition to the world.

Her comments were bolstered by Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Glendon Harris, who, while reminiscing on days gone by, stated that it was heartening that Flow saw the need to invest in this venture.

"Flow has proudly embraced its role as good corporate citizens through its initiatives that serve to enhance and build the social capital of this nation," Harris declared.

The initiative has been welcomed by assistant vice-president of the Free Zone, Gloria Henry, who said, "Jamaica has a unique set of advantages that make it a preferred location for nearshore outsourcing within the region."

She stated that at the heart of those advantages were the people who work within the contact centres, and the clients who have made it known over and over that the Jamaican workers were among some of the most productive within their centres worldwide.

"We are very excited that Columbus Business Solutions has come on board to support this thrust by the Montego Bay Free Zone to improve the amenities offered to the workers on the Zone."